On September 24, 2026, Gerald Martin of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children to 180 months in prison.
News release from the United States Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Indiana:
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison
For Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenFort Wayne, Indiana (September 28, 2026) – On September 24, 2026, Gerald Martin, 52, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Martin was sentenced to 180 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
“Martin used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. Gerald Martin will spend the next fifteen years in prison for his actions. Child exploitation and production of child pornography cases are a parent’s worst nightmare. These offenses have life-altering, lasting impacts on victims and their families and require severe punishment to deter others from engaging in this heinous behavior. The United States Attorneys’ Office will use whatever resources at our disposal to aggressively prosecute these offenders and get justice for their victims.” Said U.S. Attorney Mildred.
“Children should never be targets for sexual exploitation, and the harm caused by these crimes can last a lifetime,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who exploit children, and we will continue working closely with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to protect victims and pursue justice.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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